Lower Sioux Tribal Members To Hold Protest, Demand Council Resignations
News conference, protest set for 12:00 noon Monday, July 24, at the Lower

MORTON, Minn., July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Concerned members of the Lower
Sioux Community will hold a news conference at noon Monday, July 24, at the
reservation's community center in Morton in conjunction with a protest
designed to force the resignations of Tribal Chairman Sheldon Wolfchild,
Vice Chairman Scott Adolphson and Secretary Shannon Blue. The protest
organizers are among more than 180 tribal members, a majority of eligible
tribal voters, who have signed a petition demanding that the three resign
because they have committed violations of tribal and federal law.
The latest demand for resignations was triggered last week when
Wolfchild suspended the gaming licenses of four key employees of the
tribe's Jackpot Junction Casino. The casino's general manager, assistant
manager, controller and head of security were effectively fired, since
under federal and tribal law, they cannot work at the casino without valid
licenses.
In a news release issued Saturday, tribal attorney Steven Sandven said
the employees were fired because they refused to provide financial
information to the Tribal Gaming Commission. Tribal treasurer Dennis
Prescott said Sunday that Sandven's claim was "an absolute falsification of
the facts."
According to Prescott, the employees had provided all the financial
information requested. In fact, Prescott said, it is Tribal Secretary
Shannon Blue that has refused to provide financial information, even
denying Prescott access to the financial records for which he is
responsible under tribal law. Prescott said the employees were fired for
political reasons.
Under normal procedures, casino managers provide financial reports to
the Tribal Council showing current gaming proceeds, and then Council
members allocate those proceeds to tribal members in accordance with their
federally approved revenue allocation plan. Under federal law, only Tribal
Council members may make decisions affecting revenue allocation and per
capita payments.
Whittaker said he and two of the three other terminated employees
received a "subpoena" last Tuesday from the Tribal Gaming Commission
demanding that they appear at a hearing on charges that they had failed to
comply with the tribe's revenue allocation plan. Since the allocation plan
is under the exclusive control of the Tribal Council, none of the employees
had ever had any authority or control over it.
The employees became concerned about the true purpose of the hearing,
and asked permission to bring along Prescott, and another Council member,
and their own legal counsel. The Commission denied the request, so the
employees declined to attend the hearing. Soon after, their licenses were
suspended, and their jobs were taken over by others whose licensing status
remains in question.
Tribal members have petitioned Wolfchild, Adolphson and Blue to resign
previously, but the three ignored the challenge. The first petition was
circulated shortly after the three officials, who comprise a majority on
the Council, voted to add nine members to the tribal rolls in possible
violation of tribal and federal laws. Members of the Lower Sioux Community
asked the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) more than seven months
ago to rule on whether the enrollments were legal, but so far the NIGC has
failed to issue a decision. Dennis Prescott said he and other concerned
community members have been told they can expect a decision on Monday.
"This government has acted like a runaway train," Prescott said. "The
majority of community members now recognize that they made a very bad
decision when they put these three individuals in charge. We are determined
to undo that decision and put the government back in the hands of the
people."